All opinions expressed in this article are those of the person quoted and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the other team members or ESC United as a whole.
It’s 3 days to go until Junior Eurovision 2023, and we are counting down the 16 nations who are participating in Nice, France on Sunday, November 26, 2023.
Every day we will do an overview of a participating nation in alphabetical order, recapping how they got to Junior Eurovision, a brief history of the nation’s participation, a brief biography of the artist, and finally, our “expert” panel of editors give the entries a score out of 10 and a brief review.
Next up, we look at North Macedonia, and no pressure on the kids, but since the adults pulled out of Eurovision 2023, we hope they do well enough for them to reconsider their position in 2024.
North Macedonia’s history at Junior Eurovision:
North Macedonia have entered every edition of Junior Eurovision with the exception of 2012, 2014 and 2020. Their debut entry, “Ti ne me poznavaš” by Marija and Viktorija. It came in 12th the inaugural contest. North Macedonia would place 12th a total of 8 times out of 17 appearances (47%!).
Viktorija Loba actually did quite well after her performance, releasing a string of singles over the years and tried out for the then-FYR Macedonia for Eurovision 2015, coming in 7th at Skopje Fest with “One and Only.” (“Autumn Leaves” by Daniel Kajmakoski won that year.)
North Macedonia’s best finish remains 5th, with Rosica Kulakova & Dimitar Stojmenovski in 2007 with “Ding Ding Dong,” and Bobi Andonov in 2008 with “Prati mi SMS.”
Australian born Andonov has made quite a career for himself ever since, appearing in more talent shows after Junior Eurovision including Australia’s Got Talent. He’s done songwriting work for AfroJack and X Factor Australia winner Cyril Villanueva, before earning a record deal with Hollywood Records for his own work.
Marija Spasovska came in – you guessed it – 12th place in 2018 with “Doma.” Mila Moskov, who has become something of a cult phenomenon, came in 6th in 2019. North Macedonia withdrew from 2020 due to COVID-19.
They returned in 2021 with musical group Dajta Muzika and the eco-activist anthem “Green Forces.” They came in 9th, but it is fair to say that their climate change appeal for reform has made headway politically in the West over the past year.
Lara feat. Jovan and Irina came in 14th at Junior Eurovision 2023 with “Životot e pred mene” (“Life is Ahead of Me”).
Before Junior Eurovision 2023:
North Macedonia were the first country to announce their artist for Junior Eurovision 2023. In a press announcement on May 16, 2023, broadcaster Macedonia Radio-Television (MRT) revealed that Tamara Grujeska would be their internally selected pick.
The Artist:
12-year-old Tamara Grujeska hails from Gostivar. She has been competing in singing contests since age 5, winning “the prestigious Ezerski Biseri Festival in Struga, the highest Grand Prix award from Zvezdichki in Prilep, and a Grand Prix award from Angel Voice International 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia.”
The Song:
“Kaži Mi, Kaži Mi Koj” (“Tell Me, Tell Me Who”) was written by Robert Bilbilov and Kosta Petrov.
Bilbilov is an acclaimed Macedonian performer, writer and producer, having released two CDs under his own name (“Jas Te Gubam” in 2009 and “Lice Od Naslovna” in 2012). Bilbilov co-wrote Tamara Todevska’s “Proud” (Eurovision 2019) and “Green Forces” (Junior Eurovision 2021).
With the background out of the way, here is what we at ESC United think of North Macedonia’s entry for Junior Eurovision 2023.
Providing their thoughts for Junior Eurovision this season: Alexandros (Greece), Yehonatan Cohen (Israel), Boris Meersman (Belgium), James Maude (Los Angeles, California), and William Carter (Dallas, Texas).
The Verdict:
Alexandros – 7.5 – “North Macedonia’s Eurovision entry combines a refined ballad with nostalgic charm and contemporary elements. While the song echoes past submissions, incorporating traditional aspects, its potential is hindered by a need for a more dynamic stage presence. With thoughtful staging adjustments, this entry has the potential to stand out, showcasing North Macedonia’s skill in crafting emotionally resonant ballads at Eurovision.”
Boris – 5.5 – “A Darko Dimitrov ballad… in JESC? AND she’s called Tamara? I wish I could say it was my cynicism that convinced me NoMaC were attempting to get their JESC Proud. I wonder whether (read: doubt) “Juvenile Proud” is a good fit for JESC, and decided that it might have that potential IF an artistic-chique angle is persued. It worked out decently well for Serbia a few years back. The hook is catchy enough to make it work. On the other hand, “Kazi mi koj” definitely contributes to the feel that JESC2023 has too many mid and mature entries, even when it is one of the lesser offenders itself.”
James – 7 – “This could be entered in the adult version of the contest without much tweaking, which could be to North Macedonia’s detriment in this version. This is a mature, mid-tempo ballad with traditional Macedonian instrumentation thoughtfully interlaced, and while Tamara is more than capable of nailing the vocals live, one does have to wonder if the kids will connect with a heart rending ballad when there are more contemporary, child friendly rivals on stage in Nice this year.”
William – 6.5 – “The ethnic instrumentation and Tamara’s rich, mature vocal tone blend beautifully. On paper, this has everything I could ask for. And yet … I can’t help but feel like something is missing, some extra added spice or bit of ingenuity that could have taken this from a good song to a GREAT one. I don’t find myself humming along to it or singing it in my head randomly throughout the day. The live performance is really going to make or break this entry for me. If North Macedonia stages correctly, this could be pure magic, but it needs to hit the perfect bullseye.”
Yehonatan – 8 – “It’s the emotional Balkan ballad we’re well overdue for. Tamara is such a great vocalist and creates such a unique atmosphere for this song. This just proves that North Macedonia has what it takes to succeed in Eurovision, adult or junior.”
Total: 34.5 points (Average = 6.900)
If “sounds too much like Proud” is the worst criticism this entry gets, then North Macedonia should be on track for a decent showing at Junior Eurovision 2023.
Eleven countries in, here are our current rankings in editor scores:
1.) France – 42.5 points (Average = 8.500)
2.) Armenia – 38.0 points (Average = 7.600)
3.) Ireland – 37.5 points (Average = 7.500)
4.) Georgia – 35.0 (Average = 7.000)
5.) NORTH MACEDONIA – 34.5 points (Average = 6.900)
6.) Albania – 33.5 points (Average = 6.700)
7.) Estonia – 32.5 points (Average = 6.500)
8.) The Netherlands – 31.0 points (Average = 6.200)
9.) Germany – 30.5 points (Average = 6.100)
10.) Malta – 26.5 points (Average = 5.300)
11.) Italy – 23 points (Average = 4.600)
What do #YOU think of North Macedonia’s entry for Junior Eurovision? Will Tamara do her country “proud,” or is their more to this entry than that comparison that everyone should be aware of? Let us know in the comments below, on our social media, or in our forum.
